May 18 - Goux Fast Again

May 18, 1913 was a Sunday and as the Indianapolis News, an evening paper, did not publish on the Sabbath. The two attachments here contain articles from the Indianapolis Star about events leading up to the May 30, 1913 Indianapols 500.
 
The big news maker was Jules Goux, again laying down fast laps in his blue Peugeot. In the attachment "GouxStar051813" Goux is reported to be hitting speeds of 115 MPH down the five-eights mile brick home stretch. In a moment of drama Goux's blue Peugeot and Ralph DePalma's yellow Mercer are described as heading wheel-to-wheel charging into the southwest turn of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Goux was described as "high on the banking" and close to the wall. DePalma, on the other hand, is described as low on the track. In the end, Goux had the faster line and forged ahead. No one can ever know because no one alive was there and there is no film or photography of what went on but it makes you wonder if Goux wasn't taking a more modern day line.
 
Later in the day Goux was interviewed by the reporter through interpreter Professor Pimiento and said, "The more I see the track, the more I like it. The paving is so perfect that one does not feel the fatigue that is felt at Brooklands." Teammate Vincenzo Zuccarelli sat through the interview and nodded his head enthusiastically.
 
Additional updates described mostly the struggles of others. Isotta driver Teddy Tetzlaff was reportedly growing increasingly concerned about the delays in the arrival of his car and team. Other foreign drivers were still in route, including Belgian Theodore Pilette and his Chicago Auto Club Mercedes-Knight as well as Albert Guyot who was slotted for a seat in the British Sunbeam entry.
 
The article in the second attachment (DawsonStar051813) is an interview with 1912 Indianapolis 500 winner Joe Dawson, who, curiously enough, did not have a ride in the 1913 Indianapolis 500. Both the Indianapolis-based manufacturers he had raced for the previous two years, Marmon and National, had withdrawn from racing. Dawson was a Marmon employee and the company had allowed him to spend most of the month at the track observing. In the article Dawson discusses the prospects for new speed records but he speculated the likelihood of new records was slim due to a new rules package that reduced engine displacement to 450 ci from 600.